Progressive Breakfast: Climate Bill Boost Despite GOP Antics

The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day

Kerry-Graham Climate Talks Advance Despite GOP Cmte Boycott

Chamber of Commerce (the real one) moves towards supporting Kerry-Graham climate compromise. Politico quotes top Chamber lobbyist: [1] "Senators Kerry and Graham have set forth a positive, practical and realistic framework for legislation, one that echoes the core principles that the Chamber embeds in all of its communications on climate policy."

WH joins Kerry-Graham deliberations. CQ: [2] "Even as a partisan stalemate has stalled a Senate panel’s markup of climate change legislation, behind-the-scenes efforts to engineer a bipartisan compromise are advancing, with negotiators scheduled to meet Wednesday to plot strategy with Cabinet secretaries and White House officials. The partnership of Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry and South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, who are trying to write a broader climate bill that can win Republican votes in the Senate, was boosted Tuesday with a cautious endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ... Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D‑Calif., called the chamber’s letter a game-changer."

Meanwhile, other Republicans throw tantrum, boycott cmte markup session for specious reason. Politico: [3] "Republicans would like an additional five weeks for the Environmental Protection Agency to complete a study of the legislation ... the EPA has already conducted extensive analysis of the House legislation, and the agency released a second, 38-page analysis of the Kerry-Boxer bill last month ... Another study, said Boxer aides, would cost $140,000 and take roughly five weeks. Amendments passed by the committee would also change any estimates, noted Democrats ... Boxer said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will commission a full study of the final bill. Six committees are handling sections of the legislation, and Democratic leaders will eventually combine their work into one bill. The additional study of the final bill all but guarantees that the legislation will not be taken up until at least early next year."

Coal-state Dem Sen. Jay Rockefeller suggests climate bill can wait until 2011 reports Politico, but Kerry optimistic: [4] "But even with all these obstacles, Kerry, who has become the lead negotiator on climate change, still thinks a deal could be made by Christmas. 'I absolutely believe it’s possible. It’s Nov. 3 today. We’re talking about seven weeks from now.'"

German Chancellor urges action in address to joint session of Congress, receives polarized response. W. Post: [5] "While the entire Democratic side gave those remarks a standing ovation, most Republicans -- including key swing voters, such as Sen. Richard G. Lugar (Ind.) -- remained in their seats. When Merkel added that curbing greenhouse gas emissions would spur growth in 'innovative' jobs worldwide, the same partisan divide marked lawmakers' reaction. Merkel tried to assuage lawmakers' concerns that any agreement coming out of international climate talks in Copenhagen next month would not include binding commitments from China and India, saying those nations will make serious emissions cuts once the leaders of industrialized nations 'show ourselves ready to adopt binding commitments.'"

Final House Health Care Bill Released

Speaker Pelosi releases "manager's amendment." Abortion still not fully resolved. TPMDC's Brian Buetler: [6] "At a glance I see some tweaks firming up the provisions ending the anti-trust exemptions for insurance companies, and creating some real consequences for violators. Again, at a glance, I see no changes to the public option, particularly one, requested by House progressives, to create a ceiling on the rates negotiated between the government and health care providers. I also see not a single word about abortion--Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) wants to ban any and all federal money--including money spent on subsidies for private insurance plans--from paying for abortions, and he's been raising quite a fuss about it. Seems like Pelosi's calling his bluff."

LA Times suggests an abortion compromise will be reached: [7] "Abortion-rights activists maintain that Stupak's amendment would effectively prevent private insurance companies from offering abortion services through the exchanges, reducing the availability of those services to women nationwide. 'Stupak is basically saying you cannot even participate in the exchange unless your plan does not cover abortion,' said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. 'He's taking away coverage from women who already have it.' Meantime, another member of the House's Pro-Life Caucus, Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.), is negotiating with the leadership to toughen the funding restrictions and require at least one insurer in the exchange to offer a plan that doesn't cover abortion. House leaders said that they expected a compromise to be reached with Ellsworth that would satisfy enough of the antiabortion Democrats."

CQ on timing: [8] "The procedural move kicks off a 72-hour review period after which leaders say they intend to bring the health bill (HR 3962) to a vote..."

Dems predict passage in House next week. Reuters: [9] "Democrats in the House pushed ahead with plans to take up a healthcare reform bill later this week, and Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said they had enough support to pass it. 'I am confident that we are going to pass this bill,' Hoyer told reporters, predicting passage before a planned recess begins in the middle of next week."

Sen. Reid suggests health care may not pass until next year, then suggests otherwise. AP: [10] "'We're not going to be bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people,' he said after the weekly closed-door meeting of rank-and-file Democrats. A few hours later, Reid's office revised his remarks. 'Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year...'"

Sen. Durbin says timeline depends on CBO, reports CQ: [11] "Are we going to finish by the end of the year? ... How soon will CBO get finished?"

Sen. Landrieu working with Sen. Snowe to resurrect the "trigger" compromise [12] reports W. Post. Sen. Ben Nelson supportive [13] reports TPMDC.

NYT says immigration issues loom: [14] "Some Republicans favor excluding immigrants who have been legal permanent residents for less than five years, as well as all illegal immigrants. Democrats broadly agree that illegal immigrants should be excluded, but many want all legal permanent residents to be able to participate in proposed health insurance exchanges and receive subsidized coverage if they qualify. Latino leaders ... have started an 11th-hour campaign to eliminate waiting periods for them in the proposed legislation and to cancel the existing five-year wait for Medicare and Medicaid programs."

Wonk Room analyzes new GOP health care bill: [15] "The bill includes the word ’shall’ 378 times, but does very little to expand access or lower health care costs ... the amendment shifts the costs and risks of insurance onto individuals and divides the market into low-cost plans for the healthy and high-cost insurance for the sick."

Organizing For America pushes public option, reports The Plum Line: [16] "Obama’s political operation is about to unleash a wave of emails pressuring members of Congress, Democrats included, to vote for the House health care bill. And, notably, it explicitly singles out the bill’s provision containing a public option ... Organizing for America — and Obama himself — have been criticized for not throwing enough weight behind the provision."

W. Post piece claims bills won't cut health care costs because they won't end tax exemption for employer benefits and don't do tort reform. [17] Robust public option never mentioned. Dean Baker rips W. Post: [18] "The Washington Post had a front page news story complaining that the health care reform plans being considered by Congress will not have major savings in part because they do not include tort reform. The Post tells readers that tort reform could save $54 billion over the next decade. Let's see, we will spend about $30 trillion on health care over the next decade, so this comes to less than 0.2 percent in total spending. Is this the best chance to have savings on health care?"

Searching For More Stimulus

WH trying to create more jobs without increasing deficit. W. Post: [19] "On Monday, the Presidential Economic Recovery Advisory Board ... recommended advancing ongoing federal efforts to retrofit and weatherize homes and public buildings, possibly by partnering with mayors. Members also urged establishment of an infrastructure bank, an idea Obama advocated during the presidential campaign. The bank, which would be seeded with federal money, would allow the federal government to float long-term bonds to help finance large projects, such as transit systems, housing developments, water distribution networks, roads and bridges. While the federal government issues bonds to finance its deficits, it does not issue bonds to pay for specific projects. Under the proposals endorsed by Obama during the campaign, and embodied in proposals on Capitol Hill, an independent board would determine which projects are funded..."

Extended unemployment insurance should pass Senate this week. AFL-CIO Blog: [20] "After weeks of obstruction by Republican Senate leaders, millions of jobless workers who have or who will soon run out of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits may finally have a chance to grab an economic lifeline in the form of extended UI benefits. The U.S. Senate yesterday approved a procedural motion that clears the way to a vote on legislation (H.R. 3548) that would provide an additional 14 weeks of benefits to unemployed workers in all states and up to 20 weeks in states with especially high jobless rates. The Senate could vote as early as [Wed.], but a Thursday vote is more likely."

Unemployment bill may also extend homebuyer tax credit. NYT: [21] "The Senate and House are poised to agree on a compromise measure to extend unemployment benefits that also would expand a popular $8,000 tax credit for homebuyers, despite a recent government report on extensive mistakes and suspected fraud in the program ... Democrats are eager to show progress before Friday, when the October jobless report is again expected to show high unemployment ... real estate groups and some economists say the credit has helped stabilize the housing market, critics say it is too costly a subsidy when low interest rates and home prices are incentives enough for most."

Dems Tinker With Reform As Britain Breaks Up The Banks

Sen. Dodd to introduce financial reform bill without Sen. Shelby. W. Post: [22] "The legislation, which is still being finalized, would consolidate federal responsibility for banking oversight, now assigned to four agencies, into a single regulator. And, compared with the plan rolled out by the White House, Dodd's measure would grant less power to the Federal Reserve to curb activities that pose a risk to the entire financial system ... But staff members on both sides of the aisle say [Dodd and Shelby] have yet to see eye to eye on a number of issues, including a proposal to create a new consumer agency and heightened government authority for dealing with large, troubled financial firms ... Dodd hopes his committee will begin the formal process of approving his bill as soon as the week after next..."

Rep. Frank makes tweaks to his bill. CQ: [23] "Frank, D-Mass., told reporters Tuesday that a draft bill designed to mitigate the broad economic risks posed by the largest financial institutions would get a number of tweaks: a new financing provision would be added, a confidential listing of at-risk firms would be eliminated, and the authority of federal regulators to break up teetering conglomerates would likely be enhanced. A separate bill to regulate over-the-counter derivatives will also be amended on the floor to ensure that major banks aren’t able to evade new restrictions." ALSO, W. Post reports Frank wants Elizabeth Warren [22] to head new CFPA.

British breaking up the banks. W. Post: [24] "The British government announced Tuesday that it will break up parts of major financial institutions bailed out by taxpayers, highlighting a growing divide across the Atlantic over how to deal with the massive banks that were partially nationalized during the height of the financial crisis ... the Obama administration has maintained that large banks should be preserved because they play an important role in the economy and that taxpayers instead should be protected by creating a new system for liquidating large banks that run into problems. But Britain's decision already is being cited by a growing chorus of experts, including prominent bankers and economists, who want the United States to pursue a similar approach."